Caged
by August08
Summary: While living in Tokyo, Raph stumbles upon a man responsible for so many abductions around the city. He also meets a young woman who is a "guest" of the man. They do well to keep Raph a secret, however their luck runs out and Raph finds himself in the hands of a dark and twisted collector who wants nothing more than to see Raph break.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: Not sure where the inspiration for this story came from. I guess I was just in a really dark mood and wanted to write a dark story. Don't worry, this isn't dark just for the sake of being dark. This story contains adult subject matter and violence. Reader discretion is advised.

Thanks to Amonraphoenix and Darkunderworld for beta-ing for me.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own the Turtles, only the OCs

* * *

The lights and sounds of Tokyo were intoxicating. It was the Japanese version of New York City, and it made him feel like he was back home; even though he hadn't been home in almost thirteen years. Raphael sat on the roof of a high rise eating ramen from a take-out bowl as he watched the people and cars go by on the street far below him. Ramen had become his go-to meal since winding up in the Asian city. It was like pizza back in New York, and it was one of the few things Raphael could cook without burning the kitchen down.

He had to learn a lot of things when he moved; cooking being just one of them. At first he couldn't tolerate his own cooking, mostly because what he tried to cook ended up turning into something inedible or a charcoal brick. So he resorted to eating take-out most times. However, that got to be on the expensive side, so Raphael had no other choice but to learn how to cook for himself. There were times when he missed Michelangelo's home cooking, but as time went by Raphael found that, when he put his mind to it, he could make a decent dish.

Raphael scooped up another bite full of noodles with his chopsticks and popped it into his mouth. His mind wandered back to New York and wondered how his family and friends were doing. He hoped they were doing a lot better than when he had left them. Raphael sighed sadly as he finished his dinner. He wouldn't be surprised if his brothers never wanted to see him again after what happen. The guilt of abandoning his family in such a difficult time still haunted him; but it had been for the best.

Raphael looked down into the clear golden broth still left on the bottom of the bowl. He tipped the bowl up to his lips and drank the remainder of the broth down. He dropped the chopsticks into the empty bowl and got to his feet. The wind swept through his black dojo uniform, chilling him. He had gotten a job teaching martial arts in a local dojo, being careful to keep his appearance hidden. When asked about why he kept his face covered, Raphael said that he had been caught in a fire and his face was badly disfigured. At the time the dojo was in desperate need of teachers, so he was hired the next day.

Teaching kids martial arts not only helped them, but it helped Raphael, too. It forced him to train every day to keep his skills sharp. It also reminded him of Splinter and Leonardo; his heart ached to see his sensei and brothers again. But they were from another life, Japan was his home now and his students were his family. Raphael just hoped that Splinter would have been proud of him.

Raphael walked across the roof to the door that led down into the small apartment building. He pulled the hood up to cover his face and opened the door. He walked down the hallway to his apartment. He took out the keys and unlocked the door.

"Raphael-san," someone called out to him.

Raphael turned his head to see a young couple walk up the hallway. He gave them a bow. "Good evening," he replied in flawless Japanese.

"How was work?" the man asked.

Raphael shrugged casually. "The same as any other day," he answered. "Kids will be kids."

The man chuckled. "They always will be," he agreed. "Enjoy your evening."

"Good night," Raphael said before opening the door and walking into the diminutive apartment.

He closed the door, locked it and pushed back the hood; letting out a tired sigh. Raphael looked around the cramped space. A few pieces of furniture took up most of the living room area. The bedroom was taken up by a single bed and a dresser. Raphael walked over to the window and pulled the curtains across. When he was safely out of view from prying eyes, Raphael peeled off the uniform and threw it on the bed. He pulled on his knee and elbows pads and his wrist pads as he walked out into the living room. Raphael groaned as he fell on to the couch. He picked up the remote and switched on the TV. It turned on to a news channel. The main story was about the recent string of kidnappings that was taking place around Tokyo. Raphael sighed as they showed a picture of another young, beautiful girl that had gone missing.

"Smart kid, got good grads, loved by everyone, very pretty..." Raphael sighed. "The perfect target."

He flipped through the channels for a good ten minutes before giving up and turning off the TV. He got to his feet and headed into the bedroom. After putting away his dojo uniform, Raphael fell on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. If this happened back in New York, he and his brothers would waste no time in trying to find the missing girls before it was too late. But missing persons were best left to the proper authorities over here; and Raphael was rusty in his detective skills. Besides, detective work was mostly Leonardo and Donatello's thing, he was just the one who hit the bad people when they found them.

With the thought of his family lingering in his mind, Raphael closed his eyes and soon drifted off into a deep sleep; dreaming of his brothers and sensei and wondering if he would ever see them again.

* * *

Reviews are welcome, flames are not


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: Thanks to Amonraphoenix and Darkunderworld for beta-ing for me.

**Disclaimer**: see chapter one

* * *

_Crimson__ painted the walls__, floor, and ceiling.__ It was everywhere, covering everything __and everyone__. But it wasn't the red that held his attention; it was the __brilliant __blue of his little brother's eyes, blue __surrounded by__ the vibrant orange of his mask. Those __innocent__ wide, crystal blue eyes. They once held a lust for life, but now shone with pain and betrayal._

_"Raphie...why?" h__is baby brother croaked out._

Raphael's eyes shot open, his breath coming out in deep ragged gasps. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, trying to get his vision to focus and dispel the haunting memory that lingered in his mind from the nightmare that had reawakened it. He stared up at the ceiling and for a moment Raphael forgot where he was. He pushed himself up and tried to catch his breath, his body bathed in a cold sweat that clung to his skin. Raphael closed his eyes and hung his head.

"Mikey," he whispered in regretful sorrow.

Raphael put a hand over his eyes as he fought back tears. He kept having the same nightmare every night for the last thirteen years. It never wavered, never changed. And it always ended with him hearing his brother's voice. He had been having the nightmare for so many years, Raphael was surprised it still brought tears to his eyes. He thought that after so long it would just stop bothering him; but it was his little brother, it was Michelangelo that he had betrayed.

Raphael lowered his hand and sighed. When was he going to forgive himself? When was he going to allow himself to heal? Those were questions he didn't have the answer to, and he probably never would. He had spent the last thirteen years trying to find those answers; the search taking him all around the world until he made his home Japan. Raphael knew he couldn't stay in New York, not without risking running into his brothers. He had hurt them in a way that he could never atone for; he had lost to the monster lurking within him and he had betrayed their trust. So he took on the life of an exile; always running, always hiding, never belonging anywhere. But Raphael could never get the memory of his brothers out of his mind, even as far away as Japan.

"You've really made a mess of things this time, Raph," Raphael growled to himself.

He pushed back the blankets and swung his legs over the side of the bed. It was early on a Saturday morning and he didn't have to work, but Raphael knew he wasn't going to get back to sleep any time soon. So he went out into the kitchen and made himself some breakfast. Saturday morning always brought back memories of his childhood; getting up early and watching cartoons with his brothers before training. They all enjoyed it, even Leonardo; that is until Splinter named him leader and began giving him extra training sessions and responsibilities. Then he was too high and mighty to watch cartoons with them.

Raphael closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath before cracking an egg on the edge of the frying pan and opening the shell up. The egg dropped into the pan and instantly began sizzling. Raphael tossed the egg shell in the garbage. He wanted to remember the happy memories, not the resentment and anger. Raphael stared down at the frying egg. Thinking back on it, the only reason he got into so many fights with Leonardo was because he was just trying to help his brother grow into the great leader he was supposed to be. At first Raphael was a bit resentful and jealous towards Leonardo, but that was because he felt that Leonardo believed he was too good to hang out with his younger brothers.

Raphael picked up a spatula and turned the egg over, letting the other side cook. If he had to be completely honest with himself, Raphael was sure that he missed Leonardo most of all. Even though they got at each other's throats, they kept each other grounded. When Raphael left he wasn't just losing a brother, he was losing a friend.

He scooped up the cooked egg with the spatula and dropped it on a plate. He picked up the toast that had popped up in the toaster and also dropped them on to the plate next to the egg. He went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of juice. Raphael opened a drawer and picked up a fork before closing the drawer again and heading out into the living room. He sat down on the couch and began eating his breakfast. He picked up the remote and turned on the TV, not being able to take the silence. He flipped through the channels until he came to the news channel. Raphael was taken aback when the main story was of an investigation into the murder of one of the girls that had gone missing a year prior. He turned up the volume and listened closely.

The girl had been found down by the docks, brutally beaten and sexually assaulted. An autopsy revealed that she had recently given birth before her life was ended. Raphael growled deep in his throat. It made him mad that law enforcement didn't do enough to try to find the girl when she went missing. Of course, law enforcement back in New York hadn't been all that great either. Raphael and his brothers had to stop more crimes than he could count before the cops showed up. But he knew there was only so much the authorities could do. If they didn't know where someone had been taken, how could they rescue the person in time?

Raphael wished life was more like the crime shows Donatello would watch. Wished it would take investigators a day or so to follow the evidence to the perpetrator and save the victim. Sadly, life wasn't like that. Evidence failed, witnesses moved away or refused to talk about what they had seen, and time slipped by taking the victims of senseless crime with it.

Raphael finished his breakfast and got to his feet, heading into the kitchen to wash the dishes. After a few minutes of silence, Raphael looked up when he thought he heard something. He turned around, but nothing was there. He wiped his hands in a dish towel and went out into the living room, switching off the TV. The faint noise came again. It was footsteps on the fire escape. Raphael ran to his bedroom and carefully looked through the curtains.

"Oh crud," he snarled when he saw familiar black clad ninjas hurrying up the fire escape.

There was the sound of breaking glass and Raphael swung around to see ninjas jump through the broken living room window. He growled when he saw the emblem of the Foot on their chests. Raphael opened the drawer in his bedside table and pulled out his sais. Spinning his weapons, Raphael charged out into the living room and tackled the nearest ninja. He drove the butt of a sai into the man's temple, instantly knocking him out. Raphael jumped out of the way of a sword as the blade sailed towards his head. He rolled and came up on his knees. More ninjas swarmed into the apartment and Raphael was momentarily reminded of the night when they almost lost Leonardo when the Foot attacked him and his brothers in April's apartment.

"You will not escape, Turtle," one of the men hissed.

"After five years of living under your noses you've finally realized I was here, huh?" Raphael asked. "So, how'd you find me, anyway?"

"We rule this city," another ninja hissed, stepping forward. "As we rule your precious New York. There is nowhere you can hide that we will not be able to find you."

Raphael got to his feet and slipped into a defensive position. He was outnumbered ten to one and no doubt there were more waiting outside. Raphael knew he had to leave or risk getting captured; and that was something he couldn't afford. He backed up towards the door with the Foot ninjas following his every move. He was almost to the door when it was suddenly kicked in. Raphael jumped away from the flying door and growled when more ninjas poured into the already cramped living room.

"There's nowhere to run, Turtle," the lead ninja said assertively. "You're outnumbered, you have no choice but to surrender."

"New York or Japan, it doesn't matter. I kicked your sorry butts before, I can do it again," Raphael declared defiantly.

The leader laughed coldly. "Do you not see the numbers stacked against you, Reptile? We were personally trained by Karai herself. We are her deadliest assassins."

Raphael smirked. "Then it'll be even more fun to wipe the floor with you."

The lead ninja sneered. "Foot ninja, de-shell the freak!" he yelled.

As one the ninjas attacked and all hell broke loose.

* * *

Reviews are welcome, flames are not


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: Thanks to Amonraphoenix and Darkunderworld for beta-ing for me. You guys are awesome!

**Disclaimer**: see chapter one

* * *

Thirteen years hadn't done him any favors, and as he fought, Raphael was surprised he could still handle himself against the overwhelming odds. He was once again reminded of his thirty-four year age as he sent a ninja flying into the TV. He was still young, but not as young as he used to be. Raphael backed away from the advancing ninjas, trying to catch his breath. With a blood curdling battle cry, he jumped back into the fray, weapons spinning. He was instantly swarmed by the black tide, and he fought viciously back with everything he had.

Raphael grabbed a ninja by the front of his shirt and swung around, throwing him into three more ninjas that were rushing him from behind. The leader hung back and watched the fight. As ninjas fell, more took their place until finally, Raphael was disarmed and pinned up against the wall by several Foot ninjas. Raphael fought to get free, but he was tired, not to mention out of breath. He looked up to see the lead Foot ninja walk up to him. The man held a sword to Raphael's exposed throat, the keen blade biting into his delicate skin; drawing a trickle of blood.

"You fought well," the man said coldly. "But you are one to our thousands. You would have fallen eventually."

"Are you going to bore me to death with your talking? Is that your plan?" Raphael snarled.

The ninja pressed the sharp edge of the sword against the underside of Raphael's jaw, drawing more blood. "No. We shall save you for Master Shredder. He will enjoy watching the light fade from your eyes as he personally puts an end to your miserable existence."

"Sorry, pal, but I ain't in the mood to deal with Shred-head," Raphael hissed.

He kicked out and his foot connected with the man's groin. The ninja dropped the sword and fell to his knees with a moan. Smirking, Raphael pulled his arms free and knocked the two ninjas out. He grabbed his sais and looked around. There were too many to fight off, but if he could get to the roof he could make his escape and disappear. Raphael huffed in annoyance. This wasn't how he wanted to spend his day off.

"It's been fun, guys, but I gotta book," Raphael said.

He slipped his sais into his belt and bolted for the door. The lead ninja looked up.

"Don't...let him escape!" he commanded.

Raphael could hear footsteps pounding after him as he ran up the stairs leading to the roof. He burst through the door and out into the early morning air. Without taking a rest to catch his breath, Raphael ran across the roof and jumped on to the roof of the next building over. He had to get out of the city; to a place where the Foot wouldn't find him. Raphael looked over his shoulder to find the Foot ninjas still in hot pursuit. He didn't know where he was going, all that was on his mind was getting away from his enemies.

Raphael looked around at his surroundings. In the distance he could see a walled off property. Checking over his shoulder one last time, Raphael picked up the pace and ran as fast as he could towards the wall. He jumped off the last high rise and on to the fire escape, quickly making his way down to street level. When his feet hit the pavement, Raphael took off for the wall. He climbed over the gate and hid in a patch of bushes on the other side. He held his breath and shrank into the shadows of the bushes when the ninjas approached the gate.

After a couple of tense seconds, the ninjas moved on. Raphael breathed out a sigh of relief. However, his relief was short lived when he heard low, menacing growling coming from behind him. Raphael looked over his shoulder to see five massive black dogs glaring and snarling at him. He shot from the bushes and made a mad dash for the mansion in the middle of the enormous yard with the dogs close on his heels.

"Down, boys…heel, sit, stay," Raphael said as he tried to tame the vicious animals.

He reached the house and threw himself at the wall, grabbing a hold of a trellis that spread up to the second story. Raphael scaled the wall and climbed in through the open window at the top. He looked down to see the dogs barking and snarling up at him. However, after a while, the dogs gave up and wandered off to patrol their property. Raphael allowed himself to relax a bit; that was until the door opened behind him. He swung around and saw a young woman in her mid-twenties standing in the doorway, dressed in a skimpy, black lace gown. The two of them stared at each other for a while and Raphael half expected the woman to scream in terror.

It was then that Raphael realized he was in the woman's bedroom and heat rose in his cheeks. There were no words to describe how awkward Raphael felt in that moment of realization. However, the woman looked just as awkward as he felt.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am," Raphael apologized. "I didn't know this room was occupied, I was trying to get away from your...lovely dogs."

"So, you ran _towards_ the house instead of _away_ from it?" the woman asked in disbelief.

"Dogs were blocking the way to the gate," Raphael explained lamely, crossing his arms over his plastron.

The woman gave him a skeptical look. "Uh huh," she said slowly. She stepped into the room and closed and locked the door behind her. "I'm sure there's a fascinating story behind that appearance of yours. I take it it's not a costume?"

"No, ma'am," Raphael replied quietly.

"Stephanie," the woman said. "My name is Stephanie."

Raphael gave her a short bow. "Raphael."

Stephanie returned the bow with one of her own. "So...Raphael, other than the dogs, what brings you to a young woman's bedroom so early in the morning?" she asked.

"Ninjas," Raphael answered sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Stephanie smirked as she tried to keep from laughing out loud. "Ninjas…Seriously?"

"Foot ninjas, to be exact," Raphael said. "It's a really long story."

"And an interesting one by the sounds of it," Stephanie said as she opened up the closet. "And by the sounds of your accent I take it you're not from around here."

Raphael leaned up against the window sill. "Neither are you," he pointed out.

Stephanie pulled out a pair of shorts and a grey t-shirt. Raphael noticed the letters "NY" on the shirt.

"New York?" he guessed.

"So great they named it twice," Stephanie said cheekily.

Raphael smiled. "There's no place like home," he stated longingly.

"You're from New York too?" Stephanie asked, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Mutated and raised," Raphael told her.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "Mutated? Now there's a story more interesting than ninjas."

Raphael ran a hand over his face. "I walked into that one," he groaned.

"Yes, you did," Stephanie agreed, walking behind a changing curtain. "So spill already."

While Stephanie changed, Raphael told her his mutation story. All the while, she listened intently. When she was done changing, Stephanie sat down on the bed and listened to the rest of the story.

"So, there's four of you living in the New York City sewers with a rat master?" Stephanie asked when Raphael was finished telling his story. "Are there giant alligators in the sewers, too?"

"No," Raphael replied. "But there is a giant crocodile."

Stephanie's smile faded. "That was a joke," she said "Right?"

"I know," Raphael said with a smirk. "But it's true."

"So, how did you end up in Tokyo?" Stephanie asked.

Raphael's smirk dropped and he looked away. Stephanie knew she had struck a nerve.

"Sorry, Raph, I didn't mean to pry and bring up bad memories," she apologized quickly.

"It's...alright," Raphael said. He sighed tiredly. "I just needed to get out on my own for a while. Livin' in a house full of brothers can grate on one's nerves."

"I hear that," Stephanie agreed. "I have four brothers back home myself."

Raphael looked over at her, studying her face. Stephanie caught him staring at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to stare," Raphael said. "It's just that you look familiar."

Stephanie shifted on the bed. "Really?"

"It's been so long..." Raphael trailed off. He snapped his fingers. "Stephanie Winterton. You went missing three years ago."

"Shh," Stephanie hissed. "Not so loud."

"No wonder no one could find you. You never left Japan," Raphael said in amazement.

Stephanie looked down at the floor. "That was a long time ago, Raph. Another life, in fact."

"What are you talkin' about?" Raphael asked. "Can't you leave? Go home to your family?"

"Once you're collected you can never leave," Stephanie told him sadly.

Raphael frowned in confusion. "Collected?" he echoed in confusion.

Stephanie nodded. "His name is Darren Connors, a multi-millionaire from Chicago. He moved here a few years back, bought a bunch of land and built this place. His 'museum', as he calls it."

"That still doesn't explain the collected part," Raphael said.

"He's a collector...of pretty much everything. From rocks to stamps to..."

"Women?" Raphael guessed.

Stephanie nodded. Raphael growled. "Let me guess, you were a straight A student with lots of friends, good looks and a great personality," he said.

"How did you-"

"Fits the profile of the other girls that've gone missin' over the years," Raphael said, crossing his arms. "This Darren guy wants the best of the best."

Stephanie's eyes widened in realization. "And if he discovers you, there's no telling what he could do. I mean, it's not every day one happens upon a giant talking turtle."

"I've escaped from tougher places than this," Raphael stated.

Stephanie shook her head. "If Darren gets his hands on you…he sinks his claws in and doesn't let go. And if you try to escape-"

"You end up dead?" Raphael asked. At Stephanie's horrified look he added, "They found one of the missing girls late last night."

Stephanie put a hand to her mouth. "Francesca," she whispered into her hand. She closed her eyes and tears streamed down her face. "I told her not to do it."

"Is Connors really that paranoid over his...'collection'?" Raphael asked.

Stephanie nodded. "He believes that if he can't have us no one can."

"Cheery guy," Raphael said sarcastically.

Stephanie got up from the bed and went over to where Raphael was standing. "Raph, you can't stay here," she told him. "If Darren were to find out about you-"

Raphael put his hands on Stephanie's shoulders. "Steph, relax. He's not gonna get me. If ninjas who have been after my head since I was fifteen couldn't catch me, this Darren guy certainly won't."

"I just don't want to see you get hurt. You're the first person in over three years that hasn't treated me like a piece of property," Stephanie explained.

Raphael smiled. "And you're the first person in thirteen years who hasn't treated me like a freak or a monster. Thanks for not screamin', by the way."

Stephanie returned the smile. "It's nice to meet someone from home," she said.

"Same here," Raphael replied.

He turned around and began climbing out of the window.

"Will I see you again?" Stephanie asked.

Raphael looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Couldn't keep me away if you tried," he replied before slipping into the shadows below.

* * *

Reviews are welcome, flames are not


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: Thanks to Amonraphoenix and Darkunderworld for beta-ing for me.

**Disclaimer**: see chapter one

* * *

Stephanie hummed a quiet tune as she went about cleaning up her room. It had been a weird one so far: first Darren doesn't want to do anything but talk, and then, weirdest of all, meeting a six foot tall talking turtle. Her first instinct had been to scream, but that would have alerted everyone in the house that something was wrong and Stephanie didn't want anyone barging into her room, especially Darren. Thinking back on it, screaming probably would have been what a normal person would have done; but then again, people had often told Stephanie that she wasn't "normal". She mostly got it from the girls in the mansion.

After three years of constant abuse, Stephanie still maintained a strong will and stubborn personality. She had decided a long time ago that the only way she could survive those long nights with Darren was to keep a strong will to survive where some of the other girls broke on their first night with him. Stephanie shook her head. No, that wouldn't be her. She may never see her family again, but she sure as hell wasn't going to lay down and die for some abusive monster in the form of a man.

Stephanie was brought out of her thoughts when someone knocked on the bedroom door. She walked over to the door and opened it. Another girl with long blonde hair and deep blue eyes was standing outside. She had an air of contempt around her and a look of disdain on her face.

"Darren's looking for you," the woman sneered venomously before storming away.

Stephanie sighed and stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her. Hopefully Darren just wanted to talk again. But somehow she got the feeling that he had something completely different in mind.

* * *

Raphael looked around his ruined apartment and growled. His damage deposit was shot, that was certain. The door was easy enough to fix, but the rest of the place was going to take a bit of work. How was he supposed to explain to his landlord that ninjas broke in and attacked him? It sounded crazy even to himself. Raphael sighed and ran a hand over his face. Maybe he could disappear and find a new place to live; he certainly couldn't stay in his current apartment any more, the Foot would most definitely come back looking for him.

Raphael walked into the bedroom and pulled out a duffel bag. He opened each drawer and shoved the few pieces of clothing he had into the bag. He knelt down and opened the bottom drawer. Inside was a small wooden box. Raphael carefully picked the box up and put his hand on the lid. A part of him wanted to open it, but another part, the part that reminded him that he had run out on his family, told him to keep the box closed. Raphael chose to listen to the second voice and stuffed the box into the duffel bag with the clothes.

"Raphael-san?" came a familiar voice.

Raphael froze. It was the man from down the hallway. Raphael heard footsteps pad into the living room and heard a quiet curse. Before he could be spotted, Raphael opened the bedroom window and climbed out on to the fire escape. He knew that the authorities weren't going to be far behind. Raphael climbed on to the roof and tried to figure out his next course of action. If he stayed in one place too long the Foot would eventually catch up to him again. The idea of going back to see Stephanie was tempting, but Raphael banished the thought. He didn't want to put her in danger, he had done that enough times with April and Casey. Even though he knew they could take care of themselves in a fight, Stephanie couldn't; and he didn't know how many other girls were in that house should the Foot track him there.

"What would Leo do?" Raphael asked himself as he began to walk. "Think Leo. Think Leo," he hummed in thought. "Leo would find a secluded place to hide until things died down." Raphael looked around, his shoulders dropping. "Not very many secluded places to hide in Tokyo," he said. "Unless..." His eyes traveled downwards.

He went to the edge of the roof and looked down into the alley and spotted a manhole cover below. He hated the thought of hiding out in the Asian sewer system, he had done enough of that in New York, but it was his only option. Raphael made his way down to street level and headed for the nearest manhole cover. He opened it and climbed down the ladder, pulling the cover back into place, before he was spotted. Raphael dropped down into the tunnel and looked around. The sewers were different than the ones in New York. The major difference was that the New York sewers were cleaner than these and not as tight. Also, he knew the sewers of New York City, not Tokyo. He had to find his way around underground and fast.

"Well, no time like the present," Raphael said.

He started off to the left, fishing a flashlight out of his duffel bag. He observed his surroundings carefully, like Splinter had taught him at an early age, creating landmarks so he wouldn't get lost in the underground labyrinth. As he walked, Raphael came across various different ladders leading back up to the surface. By the sounds that were drifting down, Raphael knew that the city was fully awake now.

After what felt like an eternity, Raphael came across a closed off section of an abandoned tunnel. It was sealed with a heavy iron door that was covered in spots of flaking rust. Raphael turned the wheel in the middle of the door and pushed. The door gave a groan and creaked open. He entered into a large drain off reservoir and Raphael whistled in amazement.

"Donnie would love this," he commented as he closed the door again.

Raphael dropped his duffel bag by the door and went exploring. It was quiet, dry, and looked to have been abandoned several years ago as everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. Raphael shrugged. It would have to do for the time being. At least until the Foot stopped hunting him down. Raphael checked his watch and realized he had spent the good part of the day trekking around in the sewers.

Stephanie once again crossed his mind and Raphael decided to pay her a visit. He hid his duffel bag in case anyone stumbled across the reservoir before heading out. After a couple of minutes of walking, Raphael found a ladder and climbed up to the surface. He carefully pushed back the manhole cover and looked around. He was in an alley not far from the Connors' estate. Raphael pulled himself up and replaced the cover. He looked around to make sure no one was around before bolting for the gate. He scaled it with ease and dashed for the house before the dogs could catch his scent again. Raphael reached the house and climbed the trellis to the open window above. He pulled himself up and froze. Stephanie was curled up on the bed, her clothes torn and bloody.

Raphael jumped into the room and ran over to the bed. "Steph," he said in a hushed, worried voice.

Stephanie shot up on the bed, her eyes wide and fearful. Raphael instantly took a step back. The fear faded from Stephanie's eyes when she saw the turtle.

"Raph?" she asked. She looked down at her clothes and curled into a ball as she tried to hide the blood. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit," Raphael said. He eyed Stephanie's torn shirt. "What happened?"

Stephanie looked away, shame washing over her face.

"Whose head do you need me to cave in?" Raphael asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"This isn't your problem, Raph. You don't need to get involved," Stephanie told him.

"I became involved when I jumped through your window this morning," Raphael said, sitting down on the bed. "What happened?"

Stephanie looked torn on whether or not to tell him what happened. She knew they had only just met, but Stephanie knew she could trust him. After all, he was willing to risk revealing himself to help her; no one else had ever defended her since she had been taken. With that in mind, Stephanie told Raphael everything. When she was finished, Raphael looked like he was going to murder someone.

"Where's Connors, now?" Raphael hissed.

"He left on a business trip. He won't be back for a few weeks," Stephanie replied.

"He'd better hope I never see him," Raphael rumbled. _'Cause if I do I'll run him through,_ he silently thought.

"This isn't your fight, Raph," Stephanie insisted.

Raphael gave her a hard, long look. "Like I said before, this became my fight when I jumped through your window."

"You jumped through my window by accident," Stephanie pointed out. "You were getting away from the guard dogs, remember?"

"If it wasn't for those mutts I never would have met you," Raphael said softly.

Stephanie smiled slightly. "I take it you believe in fate?" she guessed.

"I believe that things happen for a reason," Raphael replied gently.

"So, what was the reason for you jumping through my bedroom window?" she asked.

"So I could meet a new friend," Raphael answered sincerely.

Stephanie felt heat rise in her cheeks and she turned away, hoping Raphael didn't see her blushing. The mattress dipped as Raphael got to his feet. Stephanie turned to see him walking to the window.

"It's getting late. I should probably head off," Raphael said.

Stephanie began to panic. She jumped up from the bed and rushed over to Raphael. "Please don't leave," she pleaded. "You can stay here for the night."

"I wouldn't want to get you in trouble," Raphael said uncertainly.

"No one has to know you're here," Stephanie told him. "Please?"

The thought of being left alone terrified her. At least with Raphael here she would feel a little bit safer.

Raphael thought about it for a moment and sighed. "Alright," he said. "I just need to grab something from my apartment then I'll be right back."

Stephanie nodded and watched Raphael disappear out the window. She decided to get cleaned up while he was gone. She didn't want to stay in her bloody clothes any longer than she had to. Stephanie grabbed her pyjamas and headed for the bathroom. A few minutes later, she was clean, dressed in her pyjamas and her ruined clothes were in the garbage. Stephanie walked into her room and found Raphael sitting on the window sill, looking out at the city. Stephanie closed the door behind her, drawing Raphael's attention.

"Where do you want to sleep?" Stephanie asked.

"The floor will fine," Raphael replied.

Stephanie took one of the pillows and the comforter off her bed and spread them out on the floor on the other side of the bed so he was out of sight from the door, should anyone decided to walk into the room.

"It's not much," Stephanie said regretfully.

"It'll do," Raphael said as he walked over to the makeshift bed.

He pulled the strap of a duffel bag over his head and dropped it on the floor. Stephanie walked over to her bed and pulled back the blankets before crawling in under them.

"See you in the morning?" she asked hopefully.

"See you in the morning," Raphael replied warmly.

* * *

Reviews are welcome, flames are not


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**: Thanks to Amonraphoenix and Darkunderworld for beta-ing for me. And thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed thus far.

**Disclaimer**: see chapter one

* * *

"Right here," Raphael said, tapping his fist against his right palm. "Hit it as hard as you can."

"Which isn't going to be very hard," Stephanie told him.

Raphael shrugged. "Everyone has to start somewhere."

Stephanie balled her right hand into a fist and swung her arm as hard as she could. Pain erupted through her knuckles when they connected with Raphael's palm. She winced slightly and shook out her hand.

"Ow," Stephanie said. "Your hand is like a brick wall."

Raphael chuckled. "Years of training and beating up the punching bag," he confessed apologetically. "Go again?"

"No, I think I'm good," Stephanie said. "I don't think I'm cut out for hitting things."

It had been a few days since Raphael started staying with Stephanie, escaping to the roof or into the bushes whenever someone came into the room. And since then he had been trying to teach her the basics of martial arts so that she could protect herself. But with it came the risk of someone discovering him. But it was a risk Raphael was willing to take. In the few shorts days they had known each other, Raphael and Stephanie had become good friends; both reminding the other of the life they left behind in New York. Every morning Stephanie would watch as Raphael went through his training routine before he went off to work at the school. It amazed her at how fast he moved, especially running away from the guard dogs. She never knew turtles could be so fast or agile. And she never knew she would ever be happy again. But when she was with Raphael all her worries and fears vanished and she felt like she could take on the world.

However, with her new found happiness came the awkward questions and strange looks. Stephanie had always been a doom and gloom type of girl since she had become Darren's "favorite," so it was strange to see her be so cheerful. Raphael noticed a change in himself as well. He thought less and less about his family each day he spent with Stephanie. She reminded him of the beauty that was still to be seen in the world. Of course, there were days when he felt like killing someone, especially on the days Darren showed up and took Stephanie to his bedroom all night, sending her back in the morning bloody and beaten. Raphael thought of Stephanie as the sister he never had, and he tried his best to protect her; but there were some things he couldn't protect her from, like the lust and greed of men.

"You're not going to get the hang of it if you don't practice," Raphael said.

"I told you, I'm not cut out for hitting people," Stephanie told him. "I'll leave that for you."

Raphael smirked. "Fair enough."

Stephanie sat down on the bed. "Don't you have work today or something?" she asked.

"Day off," Raphael answered. "Why? Lookin' to get rid of me?"

Stephanie grabbed a pillow and threw it at Raphael's head. The turtle expertly dodged it. "No, it's just that you haven't been working a whole lot lately."

Raphael bent down and picked up the thrown pillow. "They hired on some new instructors, so I asked if I could have my hours cut back a little."

"Kids getting on your nerves?" Stephanie teased.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Raphael admitted. "I don't know how Splinter put up with me and my brothers."

Stephanie grinned. "You were his kids, his sons. It was different for him."

Raphael walked over to the bed and sat down. "I guess," he said softly.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each one lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Stephanie tapped Raphael on the shoulder. He turned his head and was met by a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you," Stephanie said.

Raphael took a second to regain his composure. "For what?" he asked hoarsely.

"Everything," Stephanie replied.

Raphael leaned in for another kiss, Stephanie meeting him halfway, pressed her lips against his. The kiss was slow and experimental at first. Then Raphael felt Stephanie's hand on the back of his neck, pulling him in closer and deepening the kiss. The innocent kiss quickly turned into something more. It was fiery, passionate, and longing. Raphael ran his fingers through Stephanie's soft hair, pressing more into the kiss. Stephanie's hands slowly moved down Raphael's neck and chest, feeling the strong muscles underneath tough, scarred skin. They broke apart slightly to catch their breath.

"Sorry," Raphael gasped.

"I'm not," Stephanie said coyly.

They moved in for another kiss but were interrupted when someone knocked on the door. Raphael and Stephanie looked at each other, both wearing the same expression of disbelief and disappointment.

"Steph?" a female voice called.

"Yeah, Whitney?" Stephanie called back.

"Supper's ready. You coming down?" Whitney asked.

Stephanie shook her head. "Unbelievable," she muttered softly.

Raphael smiled. "Go and get somethin' to eat. I'll be here when you get back."

"You'd better be," Stephanie said. "Or else."

The smile turned into a smirk. "Or else what? You'll pummel me?" Raphael teased.

Stephanie grabbed Raphael's arms and pushed him down on to the bed. She grinned down at him as she straddled his chest. "I'll think of something," she said seductively.

She got up and went over to the door. Raphael sat up and watched Stephanie disappear out of the room, closing the door behind her. A smile spread across his face and he fell back on to the bed, putting his hands behind his head. That had been his first kiss, and it had been a lot better than what he had imagined. Raphael stared up at the ceiling and sighed.

"So much for the little sister concept," he said.

* * *

Reviews are welcome, flames are not


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**: Thanks to Amonraphoenix and Darkunderworld for beta-ing for me.

**Disclaimer**: see chapter one

* * *

"Okay, Steph, spill," Whitney said.

Stephanie looked up from her garden salad. "Spill what?" she asked confused.

"Who's the hot sounding guy you're hiding in your room?" Whitney asked.

The other girls stopped what they were doing and turned wide eyes in Stephanie's direction. Stephanie was sure she was turning blood red.

"I don't know what you're-" she stammered.

"I heard you talking to someone," Whitney cut in. "So, don't go lying."

One of the other girls spoke up. "You're hiding someone in your room? Steph, if Darren ever found out..." She shuddered. "It'd mean the basement, for sure."

Stephanie swallowed nervously. The basement was the resident prison for anyone who broke the rules. They would be locked up for days on end without food, water, heat or any comforts what-so-ever. However, before the poor soul could end their suffering by their own hand, Darren would mercifully release them.

"He's not going to find out," Stephanie said. "Not unless someone tells him." She looked pointedly around the table.

"You know keeping secrets is against the rules," another girl, Christie, put in sharply in a smug tone.

Stephanie swallowed down her annoyance. Christie was the one girl who always did everything Darren's way. Of all the girls Darren had, Christie was the only one who had yet to be thrown in the basement. It was a wonder why she wasn't Darren's favorite instead of her. Stephanie and Christie always butted heads. They had been "guests" of Darren for the same amount of time and he used both of them equally. But Christie was always by the book, whereas Stephanie was a free-spirit.

Not feeling hungry anymore, Stephanie picked up her food before heading for the door. She made her way upstairs and to her room. When she opened the door and walked into the room, Stephanie found Raphael doing one handed push-ups. She closed the door behind her and walked over to the bed.

"Done already?" Raphael asked surprised.

"Wasn't hungry," Stephanie replied. "Was wondering if you were interested in the salad."

Raphael pushed himself to his feet and went over to the bed. He took the plate and fork from Stephanie. "Rabbit food, huh?" he asked.

"I thought turtles ate lettuce," Stephanie said surprised.

Raphael stabbed the lettuce leaves with the fork. "Not this turtle," he replied with a growl, but ate the salad anyway.

"So, what's your favorite food?" Stephanie asked, offering him the glass of water.

Raphael took the glass and took a sip of water. "Depends," he replied.

"On?" Stephanie pressed.

Raphael ate some more salad. "Where I am, mostly. Or who's cooking."

"What about back home with your family?" Stephanie wanted to know.

"Again, depends on who's cooking. If it was Mikey I'd eat anything. For a turtle who lived in a sewer he is a culinary expert. Donnie, meh. He's alright, I guess, though some things did end up tastin' like engine grease or a science experiment."

"Ew," Stephanie made a face of disgust.

"As for me and Leo we were better off orderin' pizza, Chinese food or some other take out," Raphael said. "Neither one of us had any passion for cookin' and it shows. I'm surprised we knew how to boil water."

Stephanie covered her mouth to hide a smile. Raphael poked her arm with the fork.

"Ow," Stephanie complained, rubbing her stinging arm.

Raphael finished off the salad and placed the plate on the bedside table before downing the rest of the water. "So, who's the girl with the attitude?" he asked. "I heard you arguing with someone downstairs."

Stephanie huffed. "Christie," she replied bitterly. "She has major Stockholm syndrome and will do anything for Darren, so she's peeved that he prefers my company instead of hers."

"So she tries anything and everything to get under your skin and into Darren's good graces," Raphael guessed.

Stephanie nodded. "And her current mission is to expose you."

Raphael chuckled. "Good luck with that."

"You think this is funny?" Stephanie asked incredulously. "If Darren gets his hands on you-"

Raphael put his hands on her shoulders. "Steph, calm down," he said gently. "No one is going to get me. Trust me, the Foot have been trying for years to bring my head to their boss not to mention my other enemies."

"Yes, but Darren isn't one of your old enemies," Stephanie pointed out. "When he sees something he likes he takes it. Every girl in this house is testament to that. And if he were to discover you, you'd be the crowning jewel of his collection."

Raphael sat down on the bed. "Will you relax? I'm a ninja, master of stealth. The shadows are my home."

"Homes can be invaded," Stephanie snapped back. "I don't want to see you-"

Her words were lost as Raphael locked his lips with hers. After a couple of seconds, they broke apart.

"Get hurt," Stephanie finished sadly.

"If I get hurt it'll be because I'm protecting you," Raphael said. "And that's something I can live with."

Stephanie gazed into his deep amber eyes and in the light of the bedside lamp it looked like Raphael's eyes were on fire. They burned with a fiery passion to protect those close to him, but they were also haunted and sad, having seen many hardships in his young life. Stephanie found herself longing to protect the fiery turtle that had appeared in her life. Now that she knew him, Stephanie couldn't imagine life without Raphael. He was her rock, her pillar of strength. On the nights she was called out and returned beaten and bloody, Raphael was there to help her through those dark times. Just being near him gave her strength.

"You're staring," Raphael said.

Stephanie looked away, heat rising in her cheeks. "Sorry," she apologized.

Raphael smirked before checking the clock on the bedside table. "It's getting late. We should probably get to bed."

He got to his feet and was about to make his way around the bed when Stephanie reached up and grabbed his wrist. Raphael turned around. Stephanie looked torn about something and it made him a little uneasy. Stephanie looked down at her hand holding Raphael's wrist.

"You can share my bed," she offered. "If you want to, that is. I know the floor isn't all that comfortable."

"Aren't there rules against sharing a bed with another guy?" Raphael asked.

Stephanie met his gaze. "To hell with the rules," she said.

Raphael smiled. "A lady after my own heart," he commented, making Stephanie blush. "Just let me grab my pillow."

Stephanie let go of Raphael's wrist and he went over and picked up the pillow off the floor. Stephanie changed into her pyjamas while Raphael pulled back the blankets and settled himself on the mattress. When she was ready, she climbed in under the covers with him. Stephanie pressed herself up against Raphael's chest and closed her eyes in contentment. Smiling, Raphael put his arm around Stephanie in a protective embrace before closing his own eyes and drifted off to sleep with her.

* * *

Reviews are welcome, flames are not


End file.
